Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Classic Romance Challenge 2008

In the last couple of years, since I really got to be a serious romance reader, I've been collecting books that are considered classics of the genre. And I always mean to read them, because everyone says they're good. And if people are still talking about them, in some cases decades after they were published (rare for a romance novel), then they must be good.

But then I love to buy and read new books too. Shiny! New! Must read now! And these older books get lost in my enormous TBR. To get myself motivated to finally read some of them, I am challenging myself: 12 classics. 12 months.

21 comments:

LOL - I have The Last Hellion lying around as well. I'm sort of already doing this. It's what I was thinking when I came up with my It Came From The TBR challenge. Pull out all those books that have been lying around for years.

Well I haven't read the first three on your list! And I'm not sure I'm cut out for Cuevas but I have read the rest.

I thought you had tried Garwood and found her too light (for lack of better phrasing right now).

I swear I have yet to read Outlander series and every year I tell myself I really should. So far, it sits on it's shelf and looks pretty. I will note I have read the first maybe 80 pages. Apparently I stopped before the action started. Ooops.

C2--YAY! Join the fun. :) Jane Eyre is a bit dense, but it is a great story once you get into it.

Nicole--Excellent! We were supposed to get snow too, but we just got a bunch of cold rain. Ugh.

Cindy--I have read Garwood, and I might have actually read The Bride, but if I did, it was years ago and I can't remember much about it. So I put it on the list, mostly because it's the only Garwood I own. Maybe it will all come flooding back when I start it. We'll see.

And Outlander is awesome, imo. Really. It might start out a little slow, but once Clare is in the past, whooo boy! Yeah. It's good.

Jennie, I think this is a great idea. Some of the books you have listed (kinsale) are ones which I have wanted to read but haven't got around to it yet. Your challenge will be a great motivator. I have read a few of the books on your list so I will have to change a few titles. I have to think about it some, but I know I will be adding Whitney, My Love, because everyone talks about that one, and I want to know what the heck they are talking about! I will have to think of some others. By the way, I LOVED Morning Glory. I will be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

Wow, I've seriously been neglecting my romance classics it seems! I haven't read any on your list except for The Bride. Kinsale makes me twitch with apprehension, I've read 2 of her books and really didn't like either.

I really want to read Bliss! I've been trying to hunt down a copy lately. I'm going to hit up the used bookstore in town as soon as this holiday weekend is over. *crosses fingers that they have a copy*

Jill--Excellent! Yes, definitely choose the books you want to get read this year. :) And I've heard wonderful things about Morning Glory--it seems like a big favorite with lots of people.

Samantha!! Hey, I thought you'd dropped off the face of the blogosphere. ;) I keep your blog on my google reader in hopes that you'll start posting again. Not to make you feel guilty! I completely understand that you're busy with school and everything. But it's nice to hear from you. :)I've read a couple Kinsales that I didn't like all that well too. I'm not quite sure why I feel compelled to keep at her. I guess it's that I like her writing style and I keep thinking that if I hit on a book with a plot and characters I actually like, then I could really love it. We'll see. :)

lol I pretty much did drop outta blogosphere for while, I'm blaming my book slump and the stress of looking for a good grad school for that though. Now I'm trying to catch up with everything that's been going on in the reader's blog circuit. I can't believe how many people have disappeared! :(

Yeah, I have basically the same problem with Kinsale's books. She has a lovely writing style but I just can't get into her characters mostly. (hated that chick from Flowers from the Storm) And the last few books I read by her the plot was kind of all over the place. I can't wait to see what you think of "The Shadow and the Star" by her though! I've heard from several that it's her best one.

I think I've read everything on your list except for the Cuevas and the Brockman -- I have a whole pile of SBs from the library waiting for me, and I've never been able to find any of the Cuevas books.

My personal favorite in the "classic" category is "Captive Passions" by Fern Michaels. Deets available at my blog. ;-)

I guess I'm something of a classic myself, since I read most of these when they were relatively current.